Pickings from Pike’s Past
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125 YEARS AGO: BOY ON A BICYCLE CAUSES A BUGGY ACCIDENT ON PITTSFIELD SQUARE
150 Years Ago
June 15, 1876
One of the most important features of the exercises connected with the celebration of the 4th in Pittsfield, will be the history of the county to be presented by the Hon. Wm. A. Grimshaw. Although but a short time has been given him to prepare it, we learn he has it well under way. [Compiler’s note: A 35-page copy of his address can be purchased at the Pike Co. Historical Society display at the United Community Bank in Pittsfield.]
We find the finest prospects for wheat in Pike County this year that we ever remember, especially along the bluff between Atlas and Rockport.
Milton will have a centennial 4th of July celebration. It meets with the general approval of our community. Many people cannot afford conveniently to travel 15 or 20 miles by team with their families and return in the wee hours of the night. So we say, let all celebrate according to their facilities; let them celebrate the day which 100 years ago gave birth to a free and independent nation.
125 Years Ago
June 19, 1901
June is the poem of the year, the other months are prose. Never was there such a cherry crop since the Lord made little apples.
A lad on a bicycle ran into a horse being driven by a girl on the north side of the Pittsfield square, causing it to turn around, tipping over the buggy, spilling the girl and starting a runaway. Fortunately, no one was hurt. It is said that the cyclist has promised while cycling to hold his head up and see where he is going.
The South Side book and music store has been entertaining their customers with a large phonograph.
Parties from Pleasant Hill were in Pittsfield last week in the matter of leasing ground for oil drilling.
Editor H. Thorn Hum has disposed of the Milton Argus to his late printer, Mr. Markham, who has assumed full control as editor and proprietor of the paper.
The Pittsfield German M.E. Church is being repaired and a new barn has been built at the parsonage.
100 years Ago
June 16, 1926
Roy Likes, county highway superintendent, has received plans for the approach to the proposed new bridge at Florence.
Jesse M. Thompson, secretary of the Pittsfield Chamber of Commerce, has compiled a list of more than 3000 names based on credit rating. Every merchant is interested in the rating of those who trade in Pittsfield.
Rockport School District 178 has voted to continue consolidation. It will also continue to maintain a three-year high school.
The Griggsville fire department recently made a trial run to Pittsfield with its new engine and crew. They made a hose connection here in 18 minutes.
The Christian Science Church in Pittsfield will soon be no more. The membership voted to sell the property on East Washington Street to F. O. Zimmerman, who will tear the building down and erect a handsome Shell gas filling station. That will give Pittsfield four filling stations on the hard road leading in and out of town from the east and west.
About 20 members of the Pittsfield Lions Club went to the Legion lot last Thursday and broke the first ground for the new community building. The Legion boys are continuing the work when the weather permits.
75 Years Ago
June 12, 1951
A large crowd attended the opening of Loyd Yaeger’s newly enlarged radio store last weekend. He has been in the business for five years.
The large new Alexander Lumber Company building is another step forward in Pittsfield’s commercial progress. It will be opening June 15th to celebrate the firm’s 50 years in Pittsfield.
June 14, 1951
Pittsfield’s population moved up a notch as a result of the tabulation for the new city directory. The new figure is 3, 688.
Calvary Baptist Church is under construction on South Franklin Street in Pittsfield. The congregation plans to dedicate the building in July.
50 Years Ago
June 16, 1976
John Hayden was sworn in as the new third ward alderman in Pittsfield. He succeeds Myron Casteel, who resigned last month due to a change of residence outside the third ward. Hayden is employed by CIPS as a customer service representative, a job he has held for the past seven years. He has been with CIPS 11 years.
During three days last week, while Brown Shoe employees were on vacation, a new 60-foot smokestack was installed on the shoe factory. No specific pollution devices were engineered into the stack since Brown Shoe, more than a year ago, installed after-burners in the furnaces to control smoke problems.
The East Pike FFA chapter received three plaques at the FFA convention in Champaign. Pictured are Ben Kearns, FFA president; David Summers, treasurer; Marshall Allen, reporter; Tom Moore, vice president; Mark Bess, sentinel; Jim Clendenny, secretary; Clay Laux, section 13 president and Larry Fischer, advisor.
Jay Christopher Dyer celebrated his third birthday June 12. His parents are Mr. and Mrs. Richard Dyer. Jay has three older brothers, Stan, 21; Kevin, 18, and Alan, 12.
25 Years Ago
June 13, 2001
The fifth annual Relay for Life in Pike County was held Friday evening with hundreds of people showing support for the program. A total of 715 luminaries were purchased for $5 apiece, and they were placed all around the Pike County courthouse.
This summer many children in the Pike County area are experiencing the benefits of the Mounted Angels program. Coordinator Judy Schlieper says the group meets every Thursday evening in June and July at 6:30 at the Pike County fairgrounds in Pleasant Hill.
Mr. and Mrs. David Pressey are the new owners of the Milton Café. It will be open June 18, under the name “Dink’s Diner,” after his father Dink Pressey.
The Pittsfield Main Street concert series continued last Friday with a rock concert for teenagers. “Sicsam” rocked the courthouse with their own material and some covers. Brad Bergstrand, Kenny Frere and Chris Edison are the members of the group.
10 Years Ago
June 15, 2016
There was standing room only at the MODOT meeting last week regarding the Champ Clark Bridge. It was held June 9 at the Twin Pike YMCA in Louisiana, Mo. Progress has been made toward replacing the old bridge.
The importance of a new bridge became more important when the bridge closed at 8 a.m. Monday for annual inspection. It is scheduled to be closed from 8 to 4 each day this week and next. The bridge has been under a 40 ton limit since 2014.
■ Compiled by Michael Boren
